Former Marine pleads guilty to sex offense with 13-year-old

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – A former Marine gunnery sergeant has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison on sex offense charges as part of plea deal reached just minutes before the victim was supposed to testify.

The Daily News of Jacksonville reports (http://bit.ly/2a9Koqj) 35-year-old Brian Callendar was sentenced to at least 7.5 years in prison and a maximum of 12 years.

Callendar pleaded guilty Friday to one count of attempted statutory sex offense and one count of indecent liberties with a minor for offenses against a 13-year-old girl.

When Jacksonville police arrested Callendar in January 2014, he faced more severe charges, including three counts of statutory rape with a child.

Assistant District Attorney Nathan Sweet says the family thought the plea deal was in the best interest of the victim.